STI choice - Dura Ace 9100 or Ultegra 8000?

[tv_vt]

Is there a significant difference between these two STI units? Rest of gruppo will be Ultegra 8000 (FD, RD long cage, chain, 11-34 cassette). Is it worth spending more on the shifters?
Thanks for any info.

[godfrey1112000]

If you match and it is cheaper you are set

[saab2000]

Is there a significant difference between these two STI units? Rest of gruppo will be Ultegra 8000 (FD, RD long cage, chain, 11-34 cassette). Is it worth spending more on the shifters?
Thanks for any info.

Not really.

I own Shimano 9000 and Shimano 5800 and I really can barely tell the difference, if I can at all. Both work essentially perfectly and I'm not sure in a blind test I could tell the difference.

Personally, I wouldn't spend the extra for the 9100 shifters.

[R3awak3n]

I would not either. Stick with the shifters that match the group, I bet they will shift exactly the same as DA.

[mktng]

Stick with R8000.
Save a bit of money.
Lose very little in performance.. if any.. besides weight on a scale.

[TimD]

I combined 9001 shifters with 6800 derailleurs (and, later, an R8000 FD) and brakes. IMO think it is better than an 6800 / R8000 FD setup, which I have on another bike.

YMMV.
Tim

[jtbadge]

My experience is all with first generation of Shimano 11 speed, but I'm sure the basic sentiment will still apply to the newer stuff.

I've owned 9000, 6800, and 5800 shifters, all at the same time. The differences are subtle, but the feedback definitely gets more solid, and shifts slightly crisper as you go up the line. Compared to DA and Ultegra, 5800 shifters feel a little flimsier/more plastic-y in hand, but totally fine on the bike.

All told, not a huge difference, and it's definitely not worth paying retail for DA.

[tylercheung]

I was just riding my 5800 around-town / "gravel" bike this past week and was marveling how crisp the shifting was. (just after the 6800 "good" bike and marveling how crisp the shifting was)

[Gummee]

I combined 9001 shifters with 6800 derailleurs (and, later, an R8000 FD) and brakes. IMO think it is better than an 6800 / R8000 FD setup, which I have on another bike.

YMMV.
Tim

That echoes my experience exaclty

I haven't gotten past Ultegra mechanical/hydro brakes but my last batch of bikes all had D/A shifters with 6800 everything else. The others in the garage had either 6800 or 1 bike that had 5800 breifly. The difference IS indeed small, but the D/A was consistently better feeling and shifting.

HTH

M

[charliedid]

8000 shifters are bitchin' good...

[livesadventure]

Functionally, the 8000 and 9100 are nearly identical. You lose a bit of weight upgrading to 9100, with hardly a discernible change in shifting performance.

You’d be better putting that money into upgrading hubs, cockpit or cables atmo


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk